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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2009 > March > 09 > Entry
Casey Weber — from 90 feet — ‘IT’S GOOD!’
It’s one thing to practice full-court shots. It’s another thing to make ‘em.
For Dayton Christian High School guard Casey Weber, practice makes perfect.
The 6-foot senior buried a 90-footer as the third-quarter buzzer sounded in the Warriors’ 63-46 victory over Arcanum at UD Arena on Friday, March 6. In practice on Monday at Far Hills Community Church’s gymnasium, with WDTN-TV’s camera rolling, Weber connected again from 80 feet.
Head coach Chip James figures it’s March, and that means madness for the Warriors, who face Versailles in a Division III district final on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at UD Arena.
“It’s unbelievable,” James said. “Nobody outside of our team knows why the story is so funny, and why our kids went so crazy (against Arcanum). It’s because Casey practices that shot — I’m not exaggerating — every single day. He’s one of those kids who, when he steps into a gym, is trying to make a full-court shot.”
Up until late last week, the more Weber practiced his full-court shots, the more frustrated James became.
“It’s kind of been contagious,” James said. “A bunch of our kids have started to do it. And all year long, I’m like, ‘Stop doing it. If you have enough time to shoot a full-court shot, you have enough free time to work on your free throws and ball handling.’
“Casey and I kind of wrestle with it. I told him, ‘You’re not as strong as you think you are. You can’t hit that shot.’ And every day, he says, ‘Yes I can. Yes I can. And I will. If we ever need it, I’ll hit it.’ ”
James said he “got so sick” of the full-court shots in practice that he recently instituted a rule: Ten pushups if you air-ball it. Five pushups if you hit the backboard and miss the rim. No pushups if you hit the rim.
“And then here we are — in the biggest game I’ve ever coached in and these kids have played in — and he stinkin’ hits one,” James said. “They come running over to the bench, pointing their fingers and saying, ‘That’s what you get!’ I was literally in tears laughing because they were all just rubbing it in my face.”
Arcanum had whittled a 17-point deficit to 11 when a Trojans’ 3-point attempt bounced off the rim toward the right corner.
“I looked at the clock when I grabbed the ball and saw 2.8 (seconds),” Weber said. “I had to take a dribble to set myself, and just launched it.
“It seemed like it took forever to get there. But I was like, this has a chance, as it got closer and closer. (Teammate) Aaron Deister is standing next to me and he’s like, ‘Got it.’ And it just went straight in. I probably shoot about 20 of ‘em in practice every day. I was shocked when I hit it.”
Deister hoisted Weber like a trophy and the Warriors celebrated at midcourt. Weber then pointed at James, gave him a chest-bump and a playful tongue-lashing.
“I said, ‘I told you I was going to hit one,’ ” Weber said. “When I got back to the bench, I was like, ‘Hey coach, practice makes perfect.’ “
Team videographer Eric Serenius, the father of DC senior twins Nathan and Michael Serenius, captured “The Shot” on film. It’s all over YouTube and the Warriors are hoping it makes ESPN’s SportsCenter highlights.
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